Lifting and lowering conveying device



United States Patent [72] Inventor Alois Lodige Frankfurterweg l3, Paderborn, Germany [21] Appl. No. 696,018 [22] Filed Jan. 5, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 1, 1970 [32] Priority Jan. 7, 1967 [33] Germany [31] N0. L55450 [54] LIFTING AND LOWERING CONVEYING DEVICE 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 193/36; 254/104;74/110 [51] Int. Cl B65g 13/00 [50] Field of Search 254/42, 104; 269/234; 248/2, 19, 23; 74/1 10; 193/35-37, 42-15 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,268,265 8/1966 Willot 193/35 Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Assistant ExaminerDavid R. Melton Att0rney-I-Iolman, Glascock, Downing & Seebold ABSTRACT: A conveying device for workpieces having two sets of support means and respective roller means thereon. One of the sets of roller means is capable of conveying the workpiece in a direction different from the other set of roller means. A system for relatively raising and lowering the roller means so that one of the sets of roller means engages the workpiece, and the other set is not in engagement. This system includes a wedge which is reciprocated between two further rollers, one fixed, so as to vertically displace the other roller which is affixed to the support means for one of the roller means. One of the sets of roller means having movable axes of rotation so that the roller path may be changed when that set of roller means is not contacting the workpiece.

LIFTING AND LOWERING CONVEYING DEVICE The present invention relates to a lifting and lowering conveying device for roller-equipped conveying means or the like, intended to ensure an even vertical displacement, for example when raising or lowering roller-equipped guide tracks or the like for the purpose of changing their conveying direction. A variety of means may be employed to obtain vertical displacement, such as hydraulic rams, toggle, eccentric or lever mechanisms, and the like. The larger the chassis or frame elements which are to be raised, the more reliable the rate of lift must be at all points, especially under asymmetrical loads. In the case of large frames which are to be lifted, such mechanisms can become very costly. Ball heads, so-called, may be employed for changes in direction, wherein the balls may turn in optional directions, but these have the disadvantage of inherently presenting high point-loadings on the rolling track resulting in destruction of the ball rollers under great loads. This is especially true if the rolling line is not always precisely the same. Such balls arranged to roll in all directions have the further disadvantage that the balls may have flat areas formed on them, if foreign bodies prevent their rotation, thus causing slipping. Dirt can easily penetrate into such ball heads as they are situated under the rolling track.

These above-noted sources of failure, as well as the high production costs, are eliminated by the present invention, by virtue of the fact that tension rods extend through the entire section in question, and carry adjustable wedges at the corresponding bearing points. One face of the wedges rest on fixed rollers, and at the other face vertically displaces a roller. A multiplicity of such rollers may be arranged on a chassis or frame which is to be vertically displaced and carries other rollers or wheels arranged to run on rails or other rolling tracks. This lifting system may be employed for stationary or mobile rolling tracks.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, but in no restrictive sense, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a vertical section of a device for lifting and lowering of rolling tracks, and:

FIG. 2 illustrates an application, in which high-capacity lifting devices are required at the terminal positions of mobile or reciprocating track assemblies for the purpose of changing the direction of travel, and which devices must comply with strict conditions in respect of uniformity.

The rollers 1 of a rolling path 2, (shown by an arrow in FIG. 2) which are arranged on a movable frame 3, are to be raised or lowered with respect of a reference plane 4 or relative to another rolling path 6 (shown by an arrow in FIG. 2). To this end, a tension rod 7 carries an adjustable wedge 8 which has one face resting on a fixed roller 9, in such manner that the roller 10 may be raised or lowered as the wedge is respectively inserted and withdrawn from between the rollers. A plurality of these rollers 10 carry the chassis or frame 3 which is to be raised. In the raised condition of the frame 3, the rollers 5 are not in contact with a rolling rail 11. The rolling rail 11 rests on the rollers 1 making up the rolling path 2, each one of these rollers being shown as a dash in the dash lines making up rolling path 2 in FlG. 2. This establishes a clearance 12 between the rollers 5 making up the rolling path 6 and the rolling rail 11. When rollers I are in the lowered condition, the rollers 5 are in contact with the rolling rail 11. This establishes a spacing between the rollers 1 and the rolling rail 11 amounting to the difference between the distance 13 (the vertical displacement caused by wedges 8) and the clearance 12, so that rollers 5 of rolling path 6 alone act as bearers.

Since the application of such rolling paths made up of many rollers on a frame could lead to warpage of the frame and hence the rolling path, the respective wedges 8 should be adjustable with respect to the tension rod 7, and an adjusting device 14 may be chosen for this purpose.

Since the length of the tension rods 7 may amount to between and 330 feet, the fine adjustment device 14 is needed in order to cope with elastic elon ations in the rods.

in FIG. 2, the arrows 15 show the irection of racks 16 which are lifted or lowered at the comers l7 and 18 according to the invention in order to change direction. In the case in which changes in direction are carried out in angularly variable manner, the axes of rollers 5 are rotated relative to the element 19.

The rollers of a rolling path may moreover by be replaced by plungers or the like, which raise the load off the rollers, or alternatively receive the load when the other rollers are lowered, so that the other rollers relieved of load may be turned in optional direction and therefore the entire rolling path may be reoriented while the load rests on the plungers or the like.

lclaim:

l. A conveying device comprising first support means; first roller means atop said first support means; second support means; second roller means atop said second support means, the rolling path of said second roller means capable of being in a different direction than the path of said first roller means; a system for raising and lowering one of said support means relative to the other whereby one of said roller means can be selectively engaged with a workpiece being conveyed; said system comprising third roller means on said other support means, fourth roller means on said one support means, and reciprocable wedge means interposed between said third and fourth roller means whereby movement of the wedge means effects vertical displacement of said one support means relative to said other support means by way of said third and fourth roller means.

2. A conveying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system further comprises tension bar means attached to said wedge means for shifting same in a reciprocating fashion.

3. A conveying device as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising adjusting means for adjusting said wedge means relative to said tension bar means.

4. A conveying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said roller means is rotatable so as to change the axis of roller rotation. 

